


A Request

by notjustmom



Series: Sherlock Christmas Ficlets 2017 [11]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 13:33:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12985116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: prompt 11: Christmas carols/violin





	A Request

He hadn't touched the violin since his return, as far as John knew. His fingers had been broken too badly, and John knew not to ask about the prognosis, nerve damage was possible, probable - he curled and uncurled his own fingers in empathy, so it was more than a surprise to hear the faint notes of a Christmas carol of all things as he slowly made his way up the steps the day before Christmas. He had assumed it was a recording, but Sherlock was standing at the window, swaying a bit as he played - tentatively, not as confident as he once had, and his hands abruptly dropped at John's entrance, bow and violin dangling from his long fingers.

"Sorry."

"It's fine - I - it was meant to be a surprise. I know you've worried - I've only started again the last month, last week, actually. I had to know, if I could - the first few times hurt like hell - but it was important for you - for me - that you knew I hadn't lost everything because of my time away."

"What else have you lost?" John asked quietly as he ruffled the snow from his hair and removed his jacket.

"You. All this, what we had, what we could have been -" Sherlock was still facing the window, he hadn't turned to look at him yet.

"I'm still here."

"Why?"

"Why?" John slipped off his shoes and tended the dying fire. "I don't know. No. That's not true. I didn't want anyone else - no one else -" He dropped into his chair and watched the still figure at the window slowly turn and face him.

"No one else, what?"

"I worked double shifts, the only time I went out was for trivia nights with Greg, I ate take-away and beans on toast, mostly fell asleep watching Bond films -"

"John -"

"Right. Point is, I was - I knew - I didn't know, but I knew - I knew you would be back -"

"You were willing to wait." Sherlock replaced his violin and bow back into the case and closed it carefully. "For me."

John looked down at his tightly fisted hands in his lap. "I was willing to wait forever."

"Again. Why?"

John snorted, then raised his eyes and found Sherlock kneeling in front of him. He uncurled a fist and reached out to touch the curls he had spent years dreaming of, on the nights he actually slept. "Because I love you, and if anyone could outfake death, it would be you."

Sherlock leaned into John's hand and closed his eyes. "Any requests?" 

"Just one."

"Name it."

"Marry me."

"I don't know that song."

"No, I am asking you to marry me."

Sherlock opened one eye, then the other, and searched John's face for a moment. "You're serious."

"I was going to wait until Christmas morning, but -" John kept his eyes on Sherlock's as he searched under his seat cushion and pulled out a purple box. "I figured you'd find it anywhere else I could hide it."

Sherlock bit his lip as John held it out to him. "Why? You could have anyone. Anyone, John."

"I don't want anyone. You've spoiled me for anyone else - from the moment we met." John rolled his eyes as he opened the box and pulled out a ring, an old well-worn band of gold. "It was my grandfather's. He was the one person, other than you, to understand me. He knew - he knew one day I'd meet someone extraordinary, someone who would challenge me, drive me absolutely around the bend and he knew I'd lose my heart. Sherlock Holmes, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"

Sherlock nodded and watched as John slipped the ring onto his finger, then kissed his knuckles. "Yes, John Hamish Watson, I will marry you."


End file.
